NL East (2018)

[DPMOmaha]

I think the thrill of a pennant race is pretty great. It can be agonizing, but I want my team in the mix as often as possible. If I want to simply enjoy a game, I've got a lot of other options for that, but I love the roller coaster ride of watching the team that I follow try and get to whatever the goal is. Right now, that's catching Atlanta and Philadelphia.

[HalfSmokes]

I think the thrill of a pennant race is pretty great. It can be agonizing, but I want my team in the mix as often as possible. If I want to simply enjoy a game, I've got a lot of other options for that, but I love the roller coaster ride of watching the team that I follow try and get to whatever the goal is. Right now, that's catching Atlanta and Philadelphia.

philly and atlanta are in a pennant race, we're just floundering

[DPMOmaha]

philly and atlanta are in a pennant race, we're just floundering

No, we're in the race, still. That could change, but we're still in it.

[dcpatti]

No, we're in the race, still. That could change, but we're still in it.

Exactly. The Cubs were sitting at .500 and 5.5 games back of the Brewers on July 12, 2017.

[Ray D]

I think the thrill of a pennant race is pretty great. It can be agonizing, but I want my team in the mix as often as possible. If I want to simply enjoy a game, I've got a lot of other options for that, but I love the roller coaster ride of watching the team that I follow try and get to whatever the goal is. Right now, that's catching Atlanta and Philadelphia.

I would be thrilled to be right where we are now if I believed we were competing.  But night after night of this bullcrap has exhausted and depressed me, and, you would have to agree, it is an absolute certainty that this won't change if we don't start scoring runs, and an equal certainly that we won't start scoring runs until someone in management does something to try to figure out what the problem is and to correct it.  It's not going to fix itself, despite what Martinez and Adams say.  And I don't see that anyone is doing anything to address this.  So I really see no hope.

[DPMOmaha]

I would be thrilled to be right where we are now if I believed we were competing.  But night after night of this bullcrap has exhausted and depressed me, and, you would have to agree, it is an absolute certainty that this won't change if we don't start scoring runs, and an equal certainly that we won't start scoring runs until someone in management does something to try to figure out what the problem is and to correct it.  It's not going to fix itself, despite what Martinez and Adams say.  And I don't see that anyone is doing anything to address this.  So I really see no hope.

I do agree that if we don't start scoring more, we won't make the playoffs. I do think they'll start scoring runs, though. It won't be magic. There's too much talent on the roster not to. Eaton, Turner, Rendon and Adams are hitting. Murphy appears to be close to breaking out. Weiters replacing Severino is a bump, even though there's more to be had there if they move for Ramos or something. Really, it comes down to Harper. He's the one that has to get going, but I see movement in the right direction over the whole of the main pieces on the roster to think the tipping point is coming soon.

[Slateman]

Exactly. The Cubs were sitting at .500 and 5.5 games back of the Brewers on July 12, 2017.

I think the Nats have shown that they don't have the mental fortitude of the Cubs.

[DPMOmaha]

I think the Nats have shown that they don't have the mental fortitude of the Cubs.

There were serious questions about the Cubs this time last year. Very similar ones to what I'm seeing about the Nats this year.

[NatsAllThe Way]

Exactly. The Cubs were sitting at .500 and 5.5 games back of the Brewers on July 12, 2017.

That may be true, but were they as much of a gasping, nauseating, burning nightmare? 

[DPMOmaha]

That may be true, but were they as much of a gasping, nauseating, burning nightmare? 

http://www.businessinsider.com/8-months-after-winning-the-world-series-the-cubs-are-a-strange-mess-2017-7
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-five-questions-spt-0714-20170713-story.html
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2017/jul/13/whats-wrong-with-the-cubs-a-backslide-to-mediocrity-on-chicagos-north-side

[Greg_SRT]

No no no... Our Nats can still win this Division. In fact, they are in a better position to win the Division than Philly or Atlanta. At least how each roster looks right now.

Philly and Atlanta weakness right now is their bullpens.

Our Nationals is the underperforming lineup.

The difference isn't what the weakness is, but rather why.

Our Nats lineup is underperforming. As in they need to play to their potential.

Philly and Atlanta bullpens are playing to their potential. But the potential isn't 1/3 in the league.

Good news for our Nats, their isn't any trades needed to make this lineup better. Though a hitting Catcher will help. That's also the bad news.

Philly and Atlanta need to go make trades to fix their problems. Bad news for them.

[Slateman]

There were serious questions about the Cubs this time last year. Very similar ones to what I'm seeing about the Nats this year.

They had also won the WS and it was somewhat understandable.

This is a core group of players that has 6 years of constant choking in clutch/big moments. They simply do not perform.

[DPMOmaha]

They had also won the WS and it was somewhat understandable.

This is a core group of players that has 6 years of constant choking in clutch/big moments. They simply do not perform.

Every team can say that until it changes. They've done a lot of performing to get to the playoffs 4 times in 6 years. Despite what some on here want to preach, that's a lot more success than a lot of teams have had during that stretch. As a group who have followed a bunch of playoff "chokers" in the Capitals, their recent success should have taught us all that lesson. There were some core pieces that were a part of a lot of those "failures" in that locker room, too. Get back there as often as possible. Maybe the next time it won't end the same as it did before.

[Ray D]

Really, it comes down to Harper.

Harper had a season long slump in 2016 and we won the division. So I don't think he's the key.

[HalfSmokes]

It's hard to make up ground when your rotation is an ace and pray for rain. For all that we say that certain guys are fifth starters, do we even know who our 5 starters are right now?

[Slateman]

Harper had a season long slump in 2016 and we won the division. So I don't think he's the key.

If Bryce Harper could hit like 2016, we wouldn't be talking about benching him. We'd also probably only be a couple games back.

[dcpatti]

Really, it comes down to Harper. He's the one that has to get going, but I see movement in the right direction over the whole of the main pieces on the roster to think the tipping point is coming soon.

Really it comes down to any one of the 8 professional hitters stepping up ONE extra time, at the right time, in each game. Oh and not batting Eaton 7th because it is just stupid to put one of your most consistent on-base guys in front of the pitcher and the catcher.

It's hard to make up ground when your rotation is an ace and pray for rain. For all that we say that certain guys are fifth starters, do we even know who our 5 starters are right now?

Stras is back after the break, Hellickson was back to his old self the other day, and the night-and-day difference of Gio with and without Wieters seemed pretty obvious yesterday.  Don't know about Roark but I think he too is going to be a lot better with Wiets than without-- not ace-level but probably not gonna keep "getting his tits lit."  Would be great if we can get someone awesome in a trade, but either way, next week is looking a lot better.

[Ray D]

If Bryce Harper could hit like 2016, we wouldn't be talking about benching him.

He had 24 homeruns in 2016.  He already has 22.  2016 OPS much lower than current OPS.

[Slateman]

He had 24 homeruns in 2016.  He already has 22.  2016 OPS much lower than current OPS.

30 point higher average. Again, we'd be a couple games back if Harper could hit 30 points higher.

[Ray D]

30 point higher average. Again, we'd be a couple games back if Harper could hit 30 points higher.

His batting average is irrelevant. Sure, if that 30 point resulted in 60 point higher OPS (a batting average point is roughly worth two OPS points) then yes, we'd be better off.  But his current OPS is higher than 2016 so comparing batting averages is meaningless.

[GburgNatsFan]

Doesn't matter. Pitcher wins are the only thing that count.

30 point higher average. Again, we'd be a couple games back if Harper could hit 30 points higher.

[Ray D]

a batting average point is roughly worth two OPS points

I mis spoke. A batting average point is worth a minimum two OPS points.  Closer to 3.

[Slateman]

His batting average is irrelevant. Sure, if that 30 point resulted in 60 point higher OPS (a batting average point is roughly worth two OPS points) then yes, we'd be better off.  But his current OPS is higher than 2016 so comparing batting averages is meaningless.

It's not irrelevant when others are hitting in the lineup. Harper is a rally killing, out machine right now

[spidernat]

It's not irrelevant when others are hitting in the lineup. Harper is a rally killing, out machine right now

and when others are not hitting his walks are only useful to his stat line

[rileyn]

His batting average is irrelevant. Sure, if that 30 point resulted in 60 point higher OPS (a batting average point is roughly worth two OPS points) then yes, we'd be better off.  But his current OPS is higher than 2016 so comparing batting averages is meaningless.

The problem is that all of his stats are front-loaded from his terrific April.  It's been 2+ months of flounder, head bob, jitter in the box, since then.